Scrubbing attachment for portable vacuum-type floor sweepers



Nov. 9, 1943. M. H. TERRY SGRUBBIG ATTACHMENT FOR PORTABLE VACUUM-TYPE FLOOR SWEEPERS Filed March 1., 1941 MERRILL H.'IERRY Patented Nov. 9, 1943 PATENT scRUBBiNG ATTACHMENT Foa roaTAnLE t vaccini-TYPE rnoon swaarsas Merrill H. Terry, Columbus, Ohio Application March l,

2 claims.

This invention relates to a iloor covering scrubbing attachment for motor driven, vacuum-type,

iloor sweepers, the general object of the invention being to provide improved means for effecting the removal of dirt and soil traces from textile oor coverings so that the latter may be maintained in a more cleanly and visually attractive condition than is now obtainable with conventional cleaning facilities.

The vacuum-type floor sweeper, now so widely used in removing loose dirt particles from woven floor coverings. is highly efficient and easy to operate. However, fioor coverings collect solid particles or compounds of a nature which the ordinary vacuum sweeper does not remove. Such solids often consist of coal or carbon deposits or iilms which adhere tenaciously to the nap of noor carpets or rugs. cannot be removed by the vacuum or beater action of vacuum floor sweepers, and detract from the natural lustrous color which oor coverings bear when newly laid. In order to remove these adhering deposits, it is now an accepted practice to send the rugs or carpets to cleaning establishments having scrubbing facilities for renovating said coverings. This necessitates the removal of the rugsl or carpets from the oors on which they are normally placed, the loss of their use while being cleaned and the costs involved.

In accordance with the present invention, a vacuum sweeper of the motor driven type is provided, one preferably having motor-driven brush or beater, with a tank for the reception of a cleansing uid and, also, provided at the forward portion of the sweeper head or casing is a fluid distributor, the fluid being conducted from the tank to the distributor by means of a valved conduit, whereby in the operation of the sweeper so constructed, the cleansing uid is distributed under controlled flow upon the nap of the woven floor covering, and by the operation of the motor driven brush or beater, the cleansing solution is driven into the fibers of the floor covering to remove adhering soil films or deposits, any excess moisture being removed from the floor covering by the operation of the motor driven fan or blower of the sweeper. Another object of the invention resides inthe provision of a collector or water trap which is adapted for attachment to the air outlet of the fan housing of a vacuum sweeper equipped with the aforesaid attachment means, the said trap or collector being employed in lieu of the usual dust collecting bag of the sweeper.

Other objects of the invention reside in an attachment of the character set forth which is capable of being readily applied to standard makes of vacuum floor` sweepers, simple and convenient to install on said sweepers, convenient to operate and inexpensive to manufacture.

1941, Serial No. 381,350

In the single embodiment of the invention disclosed in the accompanying drawing:V

Fig. l is a perspective view of a vacuum-type floor sweeper provided with the scrubbing ati tachment forming the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view mainly in vertical section taken through the sweeper and the associatedscrubbing attachment; 1 Fig. 3 is a bottom plan -view of the sweeper and 10` the cleansing fluid distributor of the attachment;

Fig. 4 is an'enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken through thev distributor.

Referring more particularly tothe drawing, the numeral I designates a vacuum type floor sweepi5 er. While the sweeper maybe of vaiedconstruction, the form illustrated comprises a casing 2 having formed therein a fan chamber 3 anda communicating open-bottomed brush or beater chamber 4. VMounted-on the top of the l casing 2 is the usual electric motor 5, and the shaft of this motor is connected with a rotatable fan or blower 6 disposed horizontally in. the chamber 3. Also, the `lower end of thefmotor shaft carries a pulley 1, over which is trained a belt 8, the latter being employed to transmit rov` tary motion from the motor shaft to a revoluble brush or beater 9, mounted in the casing chamber l. This brushor beater member may be of the type having bristles 3l and have spirally arranged rubber beater blades 38. The rotatable element is of such diameter that it projects through the open bottom of the chamber '4 in order to directly contact with the upper surfaces or napof woven floor covering, such as rugs or carpets. The casing is supported by the usual rollers.

In operation, the brush or beater dislodges` dust or dirt particles contained on or in the fibers of the floor covering. and by `the suction produced through the operation of the ian or blower 6, the dust or dirt is discharged through an outlet l0, leading from the back side of the casing 2, and delivered into a bag or other receptacle, not shown, for collection purposes. The casing 2 carries the usual pivoted or swinging handle ll, by means oi which the sweeper may be propelled in a convenient, manually executed manner across the floor covering.

In connection with a sweeper of this general type, the present invention provides a ,scrubbing attachment for removing solid matter from the floor covering which, under normal' conditions, cannot be successfully attacked by a standard floor sweeper. Whilevthe mechanism forming the present invention is referred to as an attachment for floor sweepers, it will be understood that the same may be manufactured into the construction of a floor sweeper of the type disclosed to form an integral or unitary part thereof.

Ico

an elastic bumper strip removed, the flanges 3I of the attachmentis suchthat these clips is formed with a vertical dependingI leg I9, spaced from the back .wall of the hood I5. The legs I9 of these clips are received between '20 and the forward wall of the casing 2. 'By this means, the distributor may be quickly and securely attached to the front 'of the vacu'um sweeper. f

Leading from the central portion of the conduit I3 is a length of hose 2l, which is exible in order to provide for the necessaryswinging move-v ment of the sweeper handle II. Theupper en d of the hose 2| is connected with a control'valve 22, which is fastened with the lower` end of a cleansing fluid-containing tank 23. This tank is j secured longitudinally on the lower portions of the handle Il, and may be detachably held in connection with said handle by means of friction exerting clamps 24. Any suitable cleansingil'uid may be-retained within the tank 2 3, preferably a soap solution, although other fluids may be used either in combination with the soap solution or separately. pounds, or moth or 'insectpropagation inhibitors.

Preferably, the tains a manually the fluid within the tank may be placed under pressure for positive delivery to the distributor.

In addition, the control v alve22is provided with an actuating crank 26, the outer end of which is connected with.a wire or cable 21, leading to a pivoted trigger 28 mounted on the upper end of the handle I I. By finger operation of the trigger, a supply of fluid flowing tothe distributor may be readily controlled.

It has also been found advantageous to mount upon the lower side of the conduit I3 of the dis-1 tributor a' fine gauze or Wire Screen 29. The use of this screen enables the cleansing fluid to be readily and uniformly distributed on the oor covering throughout the full length of the conupper portion yof the tank conactuated air pump'25, so that and conveniently applied to or removed from an associated sweeper. When removed from the sweeper, the latter may be used in its normal intended manner. However, at intervals when woven floor coverings become dull in appearance because of the presence thereon of soil deposits, which are not removed by the ordinary operation of the sweeper, the use of the attachment comprising the present invention is indicated. During such use, the collecting bag of the sweeper is removed and the trap 30 substituted.4 The tank 23, filled with the cleansing fluid, is then clamped to the handle II, and the distributor head fassuch as `rug-brightening comtened t0 the front edge of the casing 2 by the use of the clips I8, or their equivalent, the wire cable 21 being connected with the trigger 28 and the valve arm 26. The sweeper is then used in the ordinary manner, the motor 5 causing the rotation of the fan 6 and the brush or beater 3. By opening the valve 22, the cleansing fluid is advanced under pressure from`the tank 23 to the conduit I3, passing through the perforations I4 in said conduit and the' special screen 29 onto4 the nap of the floor covering. By the action of the rotatable brush or beater, the cleansing fluid is driven into intimate contact with the soil-containing iibers of the .door covering, dissolving the soil deposits and effecting their positive removal from the covering. The soil-containing moisture is then removed from the floor and advanced through the casing 2 by the action of the'fan or blower 6, being finally deposited in the trap 30. The sweeper withv the attachment is ad vanced over the floor covering with about the same amount of manual energy as when the cleaning attachment is not used. The attachment, when employed, enables rugs or carpets to be cleaned while moval and when so covering its normal As illustrated in on the floor and without reemployed, restores to the floor bright lustrous appearance. Fig. 4, the lower edge of the I front wall of the distributor hood I5 is equipped duit, providing for an even vapplication of the with'a 'row of bristles 39 which assist in elevating and separating the nap fibers prior to the application of the cleaning compound thereto.

What is claimed is: v

1. A solution applying attachment for vacuumtype floor cleaners comprising a container for reception of the solution, means for removably attaching said container to the door cleaner, a perforated distributing head, conduit means establishing communication between said container and said head, a foraminated shield carried by said head to facilitate the distribution of solution discharged therefrom, hood means partially surrounding said head and secured thereto, and

provided asl standard .construction on vacuum When the regular dust bag has been may be registered with the flanges 32 and united therewith by means of `the usual 4threaded 'fasteners 33. At its top, the trap 30 "is formed witha hinged frame 34 having a -foraminated vcovering3'5. Thus water or moisture will Vbrej :ollect\ed in the `trap y3Ii'and removedafter a given cleaningf operation, or from sweepers.

time to .time during a prolonged operation.

In view'of the foregoing, it will be seen that thepresent invention provides asimple and readl ily applied Acleansing attachmentjfor conventional vacuum-typejoor sweepers. The construction it vmay be quickly .75

,improvements vices formed with vmeans forl separabiy connecting said hood to a vacuum cleaner casing with the lower edges of said hood in closely spaced relation to the floor covering on which said cleanepis positioned.

2. Floor-scrubbing attachment mechanism for vacuum-type floor cleaners having a casing adaptable to be movable over a floor surface by `a propelling handle, said casing having a resilient bumper strip applied to its outer surfaces, the

comprising a container for the reception of a scrubbing solution mounted on said handle, an vopen-bottomed solution-distributing head adapted for application to the front of the casing, conduit means extending from said container to said head, and a plurality of hook desaid bumper strip ably applied to the said head and engageable with 

